The LCS has signed a new long-term partnership with FTX, making them the official Cryptocurrency Exchange of the LCS.
This new, seven-year partnership will be the largest sponsorship agreement Riot Games has signed for an esports league. The deal, which starts this weekend, will see FTX have a dominant presence during the LCS broadcast during playoffs. The FTX partnership will be specifically branded around anything gold or economy-related on the broadcast. From player net worth and team total gold to the gold graph during games.
An example of the FTX branding.
Speaking in a press release, Riot Games stated that:
“At the forefront of every LCS partnership, we consider the sentiment and interests of our fans. This data strongly informs our decision-making process, helping us hone in on partners who are relevant to our audience and can elevate the LCS for years to come. Those metrics pointed to a direct interest in the crypto category, where FTX stands out as an innovative, thoughtful leader in a space our fans understand. Together, we’ve only just begun to press our advantage.”
FTX won’t be new to fans of the LCS, with the company having signed a recent ten-year deal with TSM that saw them becoming the organization's name sponsor. However, while that deal saw TSM being referred to as “TSM FTX” on social media and across some titles, the LCS barred them from using the new branding. Whether that is set to change now, given the FTX partnership with the LCS isn’t known. Given this new deal with the LCS comes just months after the TSM deal, questions might be asked from TSM.
Outside esports, FTX has been spending big in other areas, also. They recently became the stadium naming rights partner of the Miami Heat. Tom Brady is also a shareholder in the company, alongside supermodel Gisele Bündchen. FTX also recently partnered with the MLB, with their logo on the sleeves of the umpires throughout the league.
Catch the LCS playoffs this weekend, when FTX makes its broadcast debut. You can find out all the information about it in our LCS viewership guide.
